Sex case cop directs anger at AFP

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Victoria's police chief has rejected an officer's claim that
federal and state police 'undermined' his trial in West Africa on
indecent assault charges.

Peter Halloran, a former head of Victoria's homicide squad, is a
free man after a court in Sierra Leone upheld his appeal
yesterday.

He was on secondment to the United Nations Special Court in the
West African country when he was accused of having sex with a
13-year-old girl who was employed as a domestic worker in the house
where he'd been staying.

The 57-year-old was charged in 2004 and convicted of indecent
assault in February. He was sentenced to 18 months in jail, but was
yesterday acquitted of the charge on appeal.

Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon said today she "felt very
sorry'' for what had happened and would welcome a meeting with
Superintendent Halloran to discuss his future.

But she rejected Superintendent Halloran's claims she and the
force had failed to support him during his ordeal, or that she had
been misled by a former deputy commissioner about the level of
contact he was having with Superintendent Halloran and his
family.

Ms Nixon said she had behaved appropriately since Superintendent
Halloran's arrest.

"For me as a chief commissioner to have attempted to interfere
in a trial in another country would have been entirely
inappropriate. I think we were very limited in what we could have
done,'' she said.

He said she should have flown to Sierra Leone to intervene in
the case or ordered a senior police officer to do so.

"She was found very wanting in terms of demonstrating leadership
and support for one of her police officers,'' Senior Sergeant
Mullett said.

"The Chief Commissioner must now welcome Superintendent Halloran
back into the Victoria Police force with open arms. He's an
innocent man. He has provided Victoria Police and the broader
community with excellent leadership for 41 years.''

Ms Nixon said she would like to discuss Mr Halloran's court case
with him as it was difficult to get court transcripts from Sierra
Leone.

But Senior Sergeant Mullett said an investigation should instead
be launched into the circumstances that lead to him being charged
and that the association was inquiring into which jurisdiction was
appropriate for such an investigation.

Ms Nixon defended her previous claims that Mandy Cordwell gave
appropriate evidence, saying she still had no information to the
contrary.

Cordwell, now a constable with Queensland Police, was criticised
in two reports over the investigative process which led to the
charging of Superintendent Halloran.

Earlier today, Mr Halloran said his trial had been undermined by
senior state and federal police in Australia. No-one from police
command contacted him after his arrest, he said.

He told Southern Cross radio he wanted a meeting with police
Commissioner Nixon.

"I was certainly undermined, it certainly affected me in this
highly unusual environment," he said.